Mickey Pendergrass requests state investigative audit of EDD finances

9:35 PM,
Apr. 16, 2014

Marion County Judge Terry Ott, (from left) Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass and Mountain Home Mayor David Osmon listen to Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District Executive Director J. Michael Norton talk about pursuing a state investigative audit to look into a grocery bill that ballooned to $622,656 before it was recently paid.

Written by

FRANK WALLIS
fwallis@baxterbulletin.com

Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass pulled the trigger Wednesday, asking for and receiving a regional board's support on a proposal to request an investigative audit of the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District's (EDD) finances.

The action stems from month-old revelations that the EDD accrued more than $528,000 in grocery debt related to the agency's work in operating 20 senior centers and senior food programs in nine counties. The sum had ballooned to $620,000 on Wednesday because of March grocery expenditures that were not part of the balance when the board last ...